The Iraqi Government was losing control of its forces and the ordinary population and it was impossible to say who was in charge any more, a spokesman for US Central Command (Centcom) in the capital of Qatar has claimed. Deaglán de Bréadún, reports from Doha.
"There is increasing evidence that the regime cannot control its forces or the Iraqi population in most of the country," Brig Gen Vincent Brooks told a news conference at Camp As Sayliyah yesterday afternoon.
"We can't tell who's in charge. I don't think the Iraqi people know who's in charge. We have indications the Iraqi forces don't know who's in charge."
He reported that US special operations forces had seized the Thar Thar presidential palace west of President Saddam's home-town of Tikrit, about 56 miles north of Baghdad. The palace had been used as a holiday retreat in the past, but Brig Gen Brooks said no regime leaders were present when US forces raided the building.
The raiding party landed by helicopter in the palace compound after encountering anti-aircraft fire. "The raid did not yield any regime officials but documents were seized," he said. These would be examined by intelligence officers.
Regarding the loss of an F/A-18C Hornet fighter by US forces, he said it was too early to say if it had been shot down, as there had been surface-to-air and surface-to-surface missile fire in the area.
He did not say where the plane crashed, but the Iraqi Information Minister, Mr Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, said in Baghdad it had been shot down by Fedayeen militia near Karbala, about 50 miles south of the capital.
Questioned about claims that small arms fire had brought down a US Black Hawk helicopter, Brig Gen Brooks replied: "We don't think it was a result of hostile fire."
Pentagon officials had reportedly said earlier that Iraqis had shot down the helicopter and that it was likely the Hornet was also brought down by enemy fire. Pentagon officials said seven soldiers on the Black Hawk were killed.
Brig Gen Brooks said some Republican Guard elements had surrendered, including 53 in the town of Kut, about 80 miles southeast of Baghdad. A number of guard units were on the move: "Whether (the Republican Guard) is melting away by deciding not to fight anymore, or whether it is repositioning, there is movement."
Coalition commanders were uncertain about the current fighting capability and intentions of the Republican Guard. "We would not want to be overconfident . . . We know that we have inflicted some damage, there's no question about that. We know that some of them have pulled out," he said. "Time will have to tell."
He said "some may have gone back to their homes, some may have moved on to fight another day."
Even though US forces were near Baghdad, "we don't think that the fighting is over yet," he said. "There are still options that are open to the regime, including weapons of mass destruction. We take that very seriously."
He said that Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani, a Shia leader who had been under house arrest in Iraq, had now issued a fatwa (decree) urging Iraqis not to obstruct Coalition troops and to remain calm.
The fatwa was a "courageous statement", according to Brig Gen Brooks. "We are seeing evidence of other religious leaders who have had enough of this regime," he said.
Al-Sistani is considered by many Shia to be their grand ayatollah, or supreme spiritual leader, and has many followers inside and outside Iraq.
On September 22nd last, he reportedly issued a fatwa urging Muslims to defend Iraq from US military attack.